Valve grinding tool



June 20, 1961 E. FOX

VALVE GRINDING TOOL Filed Aug. 18, 1958 FIG.|

FIG. 2

United States Patent O 2,988,856 VALVE GRINDING TOOL Edward Lawrence Fox, 108 E. Main St., Knightstown, Ind. Filed Aug. 18, 1958, Ser. No. 755,522 5 Claims. (CI. 51-29) The present invention relates to a valve grinding tool and more particularly relates to a tool for grinding the valves of a gasoline engine.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide an improved tool for grinding valves.

Further objects of the present invention are to provide a valve grinding tool which is of simple and inexpensive construction; which is easily operated to engage a valve to be ground; which is usable with a plurality of valve sizes, and which is so constructed that jaws of the tool are automatically aligned when the tool is used to engage a valve.

Still further objects of the present invention will be apparent as the description proceeds.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims.

FIG. 1 is one end view of a valve grinding tool embodying the present invention shown looking toward the jaws of the tool.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings, I have illustrated my invention as comprising a pair of elongated resilient members -10 having a constant thickness. A rivet 11 passes through one end of each resilient member 10 and is arranged to connect the resilient members together. The rivet bears against the resilient members with only such force that the resilient members may be turned upon the rivet by the exertion of pressure thereon.

The resilient members are so arranged relative to each other as to diverge from their connected ends. They have, at their other ends, outwardly extending portions 1212 which project away from one another and have, projecting from their distal ends, flanges 13-13. The flanges have concave, part-cylindrical, mutually facing surfaces 14-14 which, in a preferred embodiment of the device, have a radius of approximately of an inch. The central portions 15-15 of the resilient members 10 are formed with V-shaped ribs which give rigidity to the central portions of the resilient members 10 without making necessary an increase of the thickness of the resilient members.

An annular ring or Washer 16 is received upon the resilient members 10 and has a cylindrical central opening 17 which is so proportioned that, when the ring .16 is moved toward the diverging ends of these members they and the flanges 13 are drawn toward one another.

The riveted ends of the resilient members are received within a handle 18 which is formed of a material which remains slightly pliable after the forming of the handle. The handle has such size that the ring is retained upon the resilient members and cannot be removed therefrom by passing it over the connected ends of the resilient members. The outwardly extending portions 12 of the resilient members prevent the ring from being removed from their diverging ends.

The device is operated by placing the outwardly extending portions '12 in contact with the open circular surface of the valve head of a valve to be ground with the flanges 14 facing the rounded edge portion of the valve which extends outwardly of the valve seat. The valve will be seated in its valve seat with lapping compound provided between the valve and the valve seat.

In present day small gasoline engines, for which the present embodiment of the invention is primarily intended, the valves are so proportioned that the valve extends at least of an inch above the surface surrounding the valve seat. Because of the construction of the present device, the extension of the valve by such an amount provides a suflicient area for gripping of the valve by the flanges 14 of the present device.

The ring 16 is moved toward the diverging ends of the resilient members 10 locking the part-cylindrical surfaces 14 into engagement with the rounded edges of the valve head. Obviously, the A inch radius of the surface 14 of the flanges 13 will not in all cases be the radius of the valve head. However, such a radius of the device along with the novel construction of the present device will make possible a firm grip upon the valves of practically all small gasoline engines.

When the ring 16 is moved so as to lock the jaws 13 in engagement with the valve, the force of the ring against the resilient members 10 and the shape of the rounded edges of the valve will cause the resilient members 10 and the jaws 13 to be automatically aligned because the resilient members will turn upon the rivet :11 Within the flexible handle 18 to provide the desired alignment. In the manufacturing of valve grinding tools such as the present device, the problem would arise of placing the resilient members 10 in correct alignment during the manufacturing operations were it not for the fact that such alignment is automatically provided by the above described riveted connection of the resilient members.

The valve is ground by holding the tool by handle 18 and by resilient members 10 adjacent to the ring 16 and by rotating the device so as to rot-ate the valve in its seat performing the grinding or lapping operation.

While the invention has been disclosed and described in some detail in the drawings and foregoing description, they are to be considered as illustrative in character, as other modifications may readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this artand within the broad scope of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A valve grinding tool comprising a pair of elongated resilient members each formed at one end with a jaw for gripping a valve, a rivet passing through the other end of each resilient member for connecting the members, said resilient members being proportioned to diverge with relation to one another from their connected ends, a ring slidably received about said resilient members and so proportioned that, when said ring is moved on said resilient members away from the connected ends thereof, said resilient members and said jaws are drawn together, said rivet bearing against said resilient members in such a manner that said rwilient members can be turned on said rivet by the exertion of force.

2. A valve grinding tool comprising a pair of elongated resilient members, a rivet passing through one end of each resilient member connecting the members, said resilient members being proportioned to diverge with relation to one another from their connected ends, a ring slidably received about said resilient members and so proportioned that, when said ring is moved on said resilient members away from the connected ends thereof, said resilient members are drawn together, a flexible handle closely received over the connected ends of said resilient members, said handle being of sufiicient size to retain said ring about said resilient members, said resilient members being formed at their other ends with outwardly extending portions which project away from one another and with flanges which are located at the distal ends of said outwardly extending portions and which project away from the connected ends of said resilient members, said flanges having concave, partcylindrical, mutually facing surfaces for gripping a valve, said rivet bearing against said resilient members in such a manner that said resilient members can turn on said rivet when said ring is moved to draw said flanges into contact with a valve whereby said flanges will positively grip the valve.

3. The valve grinding tool of claim 2 in which said mutually facing surfaces of said flanges have a radius of of an inch.

4. A valve grinding tool comprising a pair of elongated resilient members having a generally constant thickness, each of said resilient members formed at one end with a jaw for gripping a valve, said resilient members being connected at their other ends and proportioned to diverge with relation to one another from their connected ends, a ring slidably received about said resilient members and so proportioned that, when said ring is moved on said resilient members away from the connected ends thereof,

' said resilient members and said jaws are drawn together,

each of said elongated members formed centrally along the length thereof with a V-Shaped rib whereby the stiffness of each elongated member is increased along its central portion.

5. A valve grinding tool comprising a pair of elongated arms, each of said arms formed at one end with a jaw for gripping a valve, said arms being connected at their other ends and proportioned to diverge with relation to one another from their connected ends, a ring slidably received about said arms and so proportioned that, when said ring is moved on said arms away from the connected ends thereof, said arms and jaws are drawn together, each of said elongated arms being relatively stiff at the diverging portion thereof and relatively flexible at the portion thereof which is connected to said other arm.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,352,638 Thompson Sept. 14, 1920 1,648,097 Wiswell Nov. 8, 1927 2,265,130 Dougherty Dec. 9, 1941 2,540,715 De Genova Feb. 6, 1951 

